PADUA FORERUNNER FOR RACE MEETINGS WITHOUT WHIPS

The first Italian trot meeting totally without the use of the whip was held today in Padua. The initiative, strongly desired and supported by the management company headed by Dr. Giuseppe Stefanelli, has aroused great interest over the past few days, including from the generalist media also present at Padovanelle racecorse. ‘Since the horse is the protagonist of the show we see at racetracks,’ said Stefanelli, ’I thought it was right that we should try to limit what could bring them pain and suffering. Not everyone likes this choice, there are those who argue that the whip is necessary to correct and help the horse, I believe that professionals are so good and prepared that they can try to find other solutions that lead to the same result. it is also a matter of image towards the public that we must try to recover.’

The eight races on the programme also included the 2025 edition of the Lottery of the Stars, an event that takes place over two heats and a final. The heats were won by Gianluca Allione with Desdemona Sage and Caracas Lubi with Luisa Ciardo. The final was won again by Desdemona Sage to the delight of its owner Gianluca Allione.

There was also good cooperation from the professionals involved in the competition, albeit still with some differences: ‘It is a first sign of a process in which we believe,’ commented Giovanni Basso, director of the racecourse, ‘because everything has to evolve and for us the ethical aspects and the welfare of the horse are important. An initiative that will certainly be followed up in the coming months.

The General Management for Horse Racing of MASAF expressed its appreciation for the renovation project carried out by the racing company that manages the Padua Racecourse and, in particular, expressed heartfelt thanks to Dr. Stefanelli for his passion, commitment and vision. On this occasion, the co-ordinator of the trotting race juries, lawyer Stefano Sedia, attended the day of racing at the racecourse.

‘Initiatives such as those in Padua are meritorious and are in line with the renewal plan for Italian horse racing that the Ministry of Agriculture is pursuing. Attracting new audiences, interpreting the sensitivities of modern society, proposing more engaging experiences, and putting the horse's welfare at the centre are some of the cornerstones of the new course of Italian horse racing,’ says Director General Remo Chiodi.